July 16, 2012

Did you know that I am not short here in Chile?

It took me about 4 months to finally realize that I don't have to look up to talk to very many people like I do in the States. Rather everyone is about my height, a couple inches taller, or even shorter! I think that is one thing I will really miss about Chile, being able to talk to people face to face!

And talk about weird weather, we are in the middle of July (which is like being in the middle of January). It should be raining and freezing cold. It is cold, but only in the morning and at night, and it has stopped raining. Today we had a zone activity at the beach! The sun was out...there was a chilly wind blowing but the sun was warm enough that we could take off our coats and enjoy ourselves.

Ward Temple Trip

This weekend was a great weekend! Church was great because this weekend the whole ward took a trip to the Santiago temple. Many of them were given the opportunity to bear their testimonies and share their experiences about the temple in Sacrament Meeting. The Spirit was very strong, and my own testimony of the importance of the work we do in temples was strengthened.

Here in the mission we are so focused on the preaching of the Gospel that I sometimes forget about the great work of family history. One brother said in his testimony that after the second coming of Jesus Christ our main focus will turn from preaching the gospel to doing family history work. What a marvelous time that will be! And we don't have to wait to start that glorious work. If you haven't done family history work, start today!

Blessings and Surprises

This week was also a great week of blessings and surprises. The greatest of all occured just yesterday. We have been working with a young man, who is very excited about learning the Gospel and has already started going to seminary and all the young men's activities. But he just never quite felt ready to be baptized.

Yesterday we taught him and his family a short lesson, and at the end he told us he had something to tell us. And them with shining eyes he told us that he wanted to get baptized. In church he had felt the Spirit, and one of the sisters in the ward had asked him after the meeting if he was going to get baptized. He said he wasn't sure and she asked him, 'Do you know the Church is true?' he said ,'yes'. She asked, 'Do you know the Book of Mormon is true?' he said, 'yes'. 'Well' she said, 'get baptized then!' and it just hit him, that he knew it was all true and there was no need to wait! Hermana Kemp and I were speechless with joy and surprise. Hermana Kemp almost started crying and I just started squealing with excitment. And he just sat there beaming.

Following the Savior and His example is what brings us true joy, I testify of that!

With love, Hermana Bowns